Allardyce is left baffled as FA turns down appeal

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THE inconsistencies of football’s disciplinarians were best summed up by Melvin Sylvester, the amateur referee who claimed that he had been “sorely provoked” after sending himself off for punching a player in the 1990s. Time has failed to stem the debate and Sam Allardyce claimed last night that he had been the victim of an equally baffling slap in the face from the FA.

Still trying to come to terms with his team’s second-half implosion during the 5-1 defeat by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, the Bolton manager said that he could not understand how an FA panel had